Hosiery inspection and mending form



June 24, 1952 F. R. sHoAF ET Ax.

HOSIERY INSPECTION AND MENDING FORM 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May ll, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

A r Vfle/VE Y June 24, .1952 F. R. sHoAF E-r AL 2,601,229

HOSIERY INSPECTION AND MENDING FORM Fi1ef1may 11, 1949 4 sheets-sheet 2 n A coa 1Q. Navman/E.,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY F. R. SHOAF ET AL HOSIERY INSPECTION AND MENDING FORM June l24, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May ll, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

FLOYD P SHOAF and dA co5 E. L/vE/vaoo, JE

A TTOENEY `Iyune 24, 1952 F. R. SHOAF ET AL 2,601,229 I HOSIERY INSPECTION AND MENDING FORM Filed May 11, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1n Q d k fir: L". kit:

FLoyp P. SHOAP and JAco E rvs/Mano, Je.,

i INVENToR.

BY l.

A TTOENEY Patentecl June 24, 1952 d,` N. Cl.; said Livengood, Jr., assignmto said pplication'Ma-y 131, 1949, SeriaLvNo. 92,646

screams. (o1. zzli'z) This invention relates `toranimproved hosiery inspection' and:meridinglformaandamore`especially to a form 'onto 'which a stockingfmay be placed for "inspection i, purposes andy .having retractable portions i extending substantially its-'entire flength to `provide for the :use ofx-tlieiorm 'in repairing runs, pull threads and the like vwhilefthetstocking is mounted on the'forml" :It is `arrobjectof this invention to provide a hosiery inspection and repair form 4having a frame Comprising a :Smooth rounded 'can' and a bese nor-tion between, which a' 'pluralityy of spaced ribs aredisposed, the .'ribsandgthe'ybase portions being substantially Se iptical in shape. vA .plurelief lf substeetiall; quartercirculer members are mounted forfredial .idieelmvveelet between the ribs and the -entirfc-e`v-` trntn're -is `preferably composed of a transparent plastic material, so that an operator inay place -a stocking over the form and the shapefof the iorrnkconf-orlns generally `to thel shapefof `theQS'tookirigv tofltiius [stretch the stocking tantwhen it fis ,placed -`thereon'for inspection pur-poses.

ltis' another object o'fthis invention .to provide a hosiery rins inaction` andinend'ing' 'form of the type deslcrb'ed'with a .rotatable nbase Aand 'means forinountingthe 'rotatable base ona t'blevor Ythe like soy .the longitudinal axigo'fth'steiingfrerm extends fin a lioriaotal planeiand toprovide manually operilfole"V rneansmffor fretraciting the quarter-circular membersibet'ween the ribs ofthe form, after inspection lijf 7th Stocking', "for friend'- ing or repairing any rims threads orth like which rnayhavbeen disc vered -duin'gth iiispection of thestocking." MSirnat'ln-f s "king forrn is rotatatlle, 'all sides oitl'ie stocking onthe' stocking form may be seen` fa single 'point 'of observton', .v

Itis another objectI of .this a hosiery inspection 'and-1n iri'g form .having .a frarnelcornprisingapair of lo gitudinallylextendine iframe, members i9 itis 'wbrenld -ldwer Sli?- faces of which opposed vends "of, spaceds ielliptical rossffra 'el'ners arev secured. The longitudinally ex't Agffrafnie rneiiibersl'havela'n lelliptically shaped cy nica 'A one `end thereof, rene ng'th "feeding `fend of the hosiery inspection yand repair forrnfand the other ends of the longitudinally extending trarne members having tapering liminant-[shaped van members secured thertoi" Aich ara'inturnjse- @creare atentado; einer n j` and the stnb shaft connec dtoahousingiav'- ing means for seclriing Ithes nie `tofa vsinitanlodle table or' theiiliel" YSlida'b'ly.fn` edbetweenihe invention to provide semi-elliptical cross :frame 'members is a plurality of lqu'arter-circularl members which normally conform-Sto ythe outer'surfaces of thesemiellipticalframe members `:and means are slidably mounted between the longitudinally'extending frame fmembers and are connected tothe quarteroircular members and havefan extension thereon extending into-fthe housing from which vlever means extend tofav suitable'foot pedal for moving the lquarter-cir-'c'sular fmernbers `inwardly to thus provide a retracted surface between adjacent semi-elliptical frame members into provide Space fa reciprocating om 're-Deir needle ,fer-repairing runs, and to provide-slack kfor Iadjusting .pull threads and the'like.

Some oi lthe objects of .the Vinvention 'having beenwstatedfother objectsy will `appear as the description proceeds, "when "taken `conifiecti'on withthe accompanying drawings, 1in which;-

, `*Figure I is'lan' vend `vvien/'of alhosieiy inspection table showing I.'tlie `'irriproved hosiery inspection andinending form mou'iitedithereo;

`Figure"2` is .a top plan viewof thehosiery inspection and rnending forni showing"'the same mounted-on one end of a"t`able"and"is taken lo'o'king"`down along'the line'2-"f2'in`Figure I;

`l"ig'1`1re 3 is 'ari enlarged'longitudinal vertical section-al View" with lpats broken away ani'is taken substantially along' `th`e"line 3L`3 in 'Figure`2`;""""

Figure 4 is a'vertical sectional 'viewtaken'substaritiallly along "the line 4``4 'in "Figure 3,;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially 'a'ilong the line 15-"5 in Figure '3 'and showing the 'gui'de'means 'for' directing -th'e 'quarter-circular members inwardlyY as will be required during 'a mendingorrepairing opera- Figure 6 is an kenlarged vertical-sectional View taken `substan'tially along the'lne B-i-G in Figure )3"'and 'showing Lthe'rnaimer "in *which the quarterL-circular' rnembersiaremiounted for moving the-saine inwardly and ovutwa'rdly'with respect to eachother; i

Figure '7 is an enlarged elevation with parts in section, takenlooking along theiline-'I in Figurg 4 n...

'Figure l8 is an enlarged vertical sectional View talen alo-ngtheline JBlf-8 'in Figure 3 fand showing themeanslffor guiding :the'other ends of theretraotable'mernbers inwardly V with respect to each other;

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical section view similar to Figure 6 but being taken along rthe line 9 9 -in Figure .3'.and showing `the quartercircular retractable members in retracted position;

Figure 10 is an isometric view of one of the brackets for guiding the larger ends of the retractable members and showing it removed from the hosiery inspection and mending form;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of a longitudinally slidable member for controlling the inward and outward movement of the quarter-circular members and showing a portion of one of the guiding frame members in cross section as well as the pins which connect the member with the quartercircular members and is taken substantially along the line I I-Il in Figure 3,

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the longitudinally slidable member with parts in cross section and is taken looking along the line l2-I2 in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an elevation looking at the inside of one of the retractable members removed from the hosiery inspection and mending form;

Figure 14 is an enlarged elevation looking at the left-hand end of the retractable member shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line |5-l 5 in Figure 13;

Figure 16 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line I6--I6 in Figure 13;

Figure 17 is an elevation looking at the righthand end of the retractable member in Figure 13.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral I indicates one end of a hosiery inspection table of a type fabricated of sheet metal and having specially formed sheet metal legs Il and l2 which are a usual part of inspection tables of this type. A cast housing l is secured as by bolts I6 to the table leg il. This cast housing l5 supports the hosiery inspection and mending form broadly designated at 20.

The right-hand wall of the housing l5 in Figure 3 has a projection 2l on the inner face thereof and this wall and the projection 2| have a restricted threaded portion 22 of a stub shaft 23 threadably imbedded therein. rIhe stub shaft 23 has a restricted portion 24 integral therewith on which the inner race of a ball bearing 25 is xedly mounted. The inner race of the ball bearing 25 is secured on the restricted portion 24 of the shaft 23 by a suitable lock nut 26 threadably mounted on the right-hand end of the shaft 23.

The outer race of the ball bearing 25 has a disk 21 fixedly mounted thereon, as by a pressed i-lt and this disk 21 is also loosely penetrated by the shaft 23 (Figure 3). The disk 21 has a circular cavity 30 therein in which a second disk 3l is secured by any suitable means such as screws 32. The disk 3l also has a cavity 33 therein to provide clearance for the nut 26 and the end of the shaft 23 and this disk 3l also engages the outer race of the ball bearing 25 to secure the disk 21 on the bearing 25. The inspection form 20 has a frame comprising tapering semi-elliptical walls 34 and 35 which are identical, except being opposite hand. The tapering semi-elliptical walls 34 and 35 each have a anged portion 36 integral therewith which is semi-circular in cross-section and the diameter of which is preferably the same as the large diameter of the semi-elliptical walls 34 and 35 (Figure 7) and is also the same diameter as disk 21 and is secured thereto as by screws 36-a.

The semi-elliptical members 34 and 35 are preferably of a molded transparent plastic material. It will be noted in Figures 5, 6 and 9, that diametrically opposed ends of the semielliptical walls 34 and 35 have longitudinally extending spars 31 and 38 and 39 and 40, respectively, integral therewith which are also molded integral with semi-elliptical conicallyshaped walls 44 and 45 the right-hand ends in Figure 3 being smoothly rounded as at 43. It will be noted that the outer edges of the spars 31 to 40, inclusive are thicker than the inner edges thereof to permit inward movement of the quarter-circular members IIB, to be later described.

A plurality of spaced substantially semi-elliptical ribs 46 are molded at diametrically opposed ends thereof integral with the spars 31 and 39 and similar semi-elliptical ribs 41 are molded at diametrically opposed ends thereof integral with the spars 39 and 40. The endmost ribs 46 and 41 are also spaced apart from the semielliptical wall members 34 and 35 and the semielliptical conically-shaped wall members 44 and 45. It will be noted in Figures 1, 2 and 3 that the semi-elliptical ribs 46 and 41 diminish in size from left to right to conform to the taper of the semi-elliptical walls 34 and 35 and to also conform to the shape of the walls 44 and 45 at the right-hand end of the form 20 in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The longitudinally extending spars 31 and 38, which are integral with the ribs 46 and the tapering Walls 34 and the conically-shaped portion 44, are secured to the longitudinally extending spars 39 and 40, respectively, as by screws 55 (Figure 6) thus securing the upper half of the form frame 20 to the lower half thereof as shown in Figure 3.

Before the upper half of the form 26 is secured to the lower half thereof as shown in Figure 3, longitudinally extending guide members 52 and 53 are adhesively secured to the inner surfaces of the semi-elliptical tapering walls 34 and 35 and also to the proximate surfaces of the ribs 46 and 41, respectively, and extend along the small radius of the ellipse formed thereby. It will be noted in Figures 3, 5, 6, '1 and 9 that the proximate edges of the longitudinally extending guide members 52 and 53 are spaced apart from each other and extend in parallel relation to each other throughout the length of the form 20 while their remote edges are tapered or converge from left to right in Figure 3 to conform to the inner surfaces of the semi-elliptical ribs 46 and 41. The right-hand ends of the guide members 52 and 53 terminate at the left-hand edges of the members 44 and 45, respectively, and are molded integral with an end portion 55 which is substantially elliptical in shape, as shown in Figure 8, and which is adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the members 44 and 45 in Figure 3. The left-hand ends of the longitudinally extending guide members -52 and 53 in Figure 3 are molded integral with a plate 56 (Figures 3 and '1) which is also substantially elliptical in shape and conforms to the inner surfaces of the tapering walls 34 and 35.

In Figures 3, 5 and l0 there are shown guide brackets 60 and 6l both of which are identical, except being opposite hand. The guide brackets 60 and 6| are secured to opposed sides of the longitudinally extending guide members 52 and 53 at the right-hand end of the tapering walls 34 and 35 in Figure 3, as by screws 62, which slidably penetrate the bracket 6U and the members 52 and 53 are threadably imbedded inthe bracket 6| las shown. in Figure 5. 'The brackets |50 and`6| are Vprevided with inwardly. converging slots'6`4 vand'65'and-t6 and 61, respectively, (Figure v) in which slidable .guide "members 'are adapted to'be mounted, "these guidemembersbeingritegral parts of Vretrat'z't'abl'e Tduatereci'rcular members to be later described.

The guide brackets 60 and '6| are provided with coinciding notches 10 and `respectively, on the proximate edges 'thereof,fwhich, when the brackets `60f`ard "6| 'are assembled 'with "the guide 'members 52 and A'53, prvi`de van opening through which la longitudinally extending slidable 'member 'broadly designated 44at 'l2 (Figures 5, 11 Vand 12) Ymay be inserted, 4and which "will be later V'described 'in detail.

The end member 55 fat the rightihand end of the guide members "52.a'1i`d *53 in fFigiire 3 also `hasinwardly convergin'gslots "M, 15, 'lfahd 11 `which, although they lare .spaced relatively closer together, coincide with the "slots 64 4to G1, inclusive, in the bracketsr 60 "and 6| Yand are provided for'the same purpose.

Theperipheral edges of "the brackets 50 and El aswell as'the end 'plate'56 "conform to the shape of the semi-ellipticaltapering walls v31| and 35 and are adapted Vto beadhes'ively'securedto the inner surfaces thereof when theflongitudinally extending guide members'52and '53 are inserted in'the upper and llowerhalves of the form 20.

Referring to Figures 3 Vand 7, it maybe observed that 'the end plate 55 alsohas a substantially rectangular'o'pening 80 therein and it will beno'ted in Figures 5 'and' that theproximate portions of Ythe llongitudinally extending guide members 52 and '53 extend fa substantial distance into the opening -80 "and, the Yripening denedv'by the notches 10 and 1| inthe brackets lillY and 8|, respectively. y

Before the upperand lower halves'cf thefrarne 20 are securedto the disk'2-1 bythe screws 35-a, the longitudinally movable block '12 is 'inserted through the opening 80 and 'this `block 12 "has longitudinally extending'slots '82 'and'83 cut 'in its upper and lower surfaces which are slidably engaged by Lthe proximate portions of 'the longitudinally extending guide jmembers '512 and 53 as the block '|'2 is inserted throughthe opening Sin theplate v"56 `Iandthrou'ghfthe opening defined bythe notches T0 a`rid`1| in the'brackets 60 and 6|, respectively.

Referring to Figures 1l 'and '12,'it vmaybe "observe'dthat the longitudinally 'movable block 'l2 has enlarged 'rounded end portions '8'4 and 85 integral "therewith, opposed sides jof which are provided with notchesor'slots and L81, and /88 and '89, respectively. Links v93 to 36, 'inclusive are oscillatably'mounted in the ,slots "86 l,to 89, inclusive, respectively, asat 90. y

`The links 03 to L96 'extend outwardly and have transverse vertically `disposed .portions |03 'to |06, respectively, integral therewith in each of which a vertically'disposed pin '|01 may`b'eslidablymounted; or, if desired, these pins 1| 01 'may be secured in the transverse'portions |03 to |06, inclusive, as by a pressed fit. The pins |01 extend beyond .the upper and lower endsof the transverseportions |03 to |"06,`inclusive of the links '93 to '96, inclusive, respectively,"and-their ends are connected 'to molded'quartercircular retractable "wall members "H0, lll-"a, H0-Ibl and lllic in a manner to be,presentlydescribed Thesey quarter-circular membersmayibejofimetal,

6 wood, composition, `or plastic material, but it is preferred "that lthey' be 'of a transparent plastic material.

The quarter-circular retractable wallmembers H0, IIU-a, lill-b, andjI'lll-c are identical except the quarter-circular members |'|0-"b and ||0c are opposite hand from the quarter-circular members ||0 and ll'-a. Therefore, only the quarter-circular'member Hil'will be described in detail and like 'reference characters will apply to the members IMJ-a, ||0^`b and ||0-'c. This member l'lliis clearly shown in Figures 13, 14, 15, 16 and 1'7. The 'quarter-'circular retractable wall member IIB has substantially lquarter-circular segmental end walls |12 and 'H3 vmolded integral therewith, Vth'e'end'wall`||"3V being 'of a substantially larger Vradius 'than 'the end wall ||2 and the quarter-circular walls I|0 extending therebetween Vgradually increasing in size from right to Ieftin Figure '13th conform to the grad'- ually increasing size of the 'ribs46 andl from right to left in Figures 2 and 3 'so the quartercircular members H0, Uil-a, IIB-b and HEI-c, when mounted between the ribs 46 and 4l, in a manner to be' presently described, will provide Va smoothly tapering effect to the hosiery inspection and mending or'repair form 20.

Referring to Figure 13, it'maybe observedthat the longitudinally extending quarter-circular member HJ has a 'plurality of spaced quartercircular grooves ||5 formed in its periphery and when the member v|||l is mounted in the form 20, these grooves '|'I'5 aline with the ribs 46 and 47 and have sliding movement 'relative to the same as will be later described. The quartercircular member |I0 also has'a pairof inwardly projecting portions :l and which are also molded integral therewith, and the'inner or front and bottom surfaces in Figure |3 of which are perpendicular to each other and the bottom surface of which terminates a substantial distance above the lower edge 'of 'the quarter-circular member l0.

Referring to Figures 15 and,16,'it will be observed-that the ylowerfsurfaces ofthe inwardly projecting portions '|1|`6 'and have vertically disposed'bores |20 and|2| therein, respectively, which, when the quarter-circular members |10, |'|-`0a, Htl-b and 0c are assembled as shown in -Figu're 6, are adapted to slidablyreceive opposed ends of the 'pins '|01 heretofore'described.

The end wall I2 (Figures'13and 17) has a pin |23 extending outwardly'therefrom Vand the end wall H3 atthe left-'hand end of vFigure l13 has a substantially rectangular projection -lZdmolded integral therewith and'it will be noted in Figure 14`that the upper vand lower surfaces of thisprojection |24 are parallel but are disposed'at an angle'relative to thehorizontal axis of the semicircular end wall |13. The angularity of this projection |211 conformsto the angularity of the slots 64 to "'6'|,inclusive,in thebrackets-Giland 6| and also conforms to the angularity of the upper'and lower remote surfaces of the longitudin'ally extending `spars 3`| to 40, inclusive.

It'has already been-stated how the block 721s mounted for longitudinal -sliding movement on the guide members "52 "and 53, the reason for which will be later described. Now, in order to movethe member :12 back-and forth along the guideways 52 and 5 3,'one endof a rod |32 is threadably imbedde'dinth'e left-hand end of the guideblock 12 inliigures 3 and 11 an'dit will be noted in Figurethat this 'rod L|,32- extends to the left and slidablyfpenetrates -lthe shaft 23 Y 7 along its axis and also slidably penetrates the projection 2| in the housing i5. The rod |32 then slidably penetrates a block |33 and has suitable collars |34 and |35 adjustably secured thereon and engaging opposed sides of the block The block |33 has spaced depending ears |46 integral therewith between which the upper end of a projecting portion |4| of a tubular shaft |42 is slidably mounted. This upwardly projecting portion 14| has a slot |43 therein (Figures 3 and 4) which is slidably penetrated by a pin |44 xedly mounted in the downwardly projecting ears |46 of the block |33.

It will be noted in Figure 4 that opposed ends of the tubular shaft |42 slidably engage proximate surfaces of the side walls of the housing i5 and this tubular shaft |42 is oscillatably mounted on a solid shaft |50 threadably imbedded in one of the walls of the housing l5 and slidably penetrating the opposite wall of the housing l5.

The tubular shaft |42 also has an inwardly projecting portion integral therewith to the upper end o which a vertically disposed link |52 is pivotally connected, as at |53 (Figure 3). The lower end of the link |52, in Figure l, is pivotally connected, as at |55 to the left-hand end of a treadle bar |56 oscillatably mounted as at |51 on a bracket |66 secured, as by screws |6I, to the conventional leg of the work table |0.

lThe treadle bar |56 is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 1 by a tension spring |62, opposed ends of which are connected to the bar |56 as at |63 and to the table leg as at |64. The bar |56 also has welded to the upper right-hand surface thereof in Figure l a foot pedal |65 which is adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator for retracting the semi-circular members Il, Htl-a, ||6b and ||0c in the manner to be later described.

In order to assemble the hosiery inspection and mending form 26 as shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, thelongitudinally extending and movable block 12 must be mounted on the guide members 52 and 53 in the manner heretofore described, then the pins |61 in the links 93 and 94 are inserted in the bores |26 in the semi-circular members ||6, ||0a, ||6b and ||0c while the pins |61 in the links 35 and 96 are inserted in the bores |2| in the manner shown in Figures 6 and 9.

At the same time that the pins |61 are inserted in the bores and |2|, the pins |23 at the small end of the semi-circular members ||6 to |0-c inclusive are inserted in the corresponding slots 14 to 11, inclusive, as shown in Figure 8 and the projections |24 on the large end of the members ||6 to ||6-c, inclusive, are inserted in the slots 64 to 51, inclusive, as shown in Figure 5.

The longitudinally extending spars 31, 36, 39 and 46 of the upper and lower halves of the `form 26 are then secured together by the screws 56 with the end walls ||2 and ||3 of the semicircular wall members I6 to |0-c, inclusive slidably engaging the proximate surfaces of the wall member 55 and the brackets 66 and 6| while the ribs 46 and 41 are slidably inserted in the grooves ||5 in each of the members ||6 to |l6-c, inclusive. The semi-circular flange portions 36 of the upper and lower semi-elliptical walls 34 and 35 are then secured to the disk 21 by the screws 36-a in the manner heretofore described.

Before placing the stocking on the form the members ||6 are retracted to the position shown in Figure 9. The position of the block 12 is then adjusted so the outer surfaces of the quarter-circular members ||0 to ||6c, inclusive, are flush with the outer surfaces of the ribs 46 and 41 which is done by adjusting the collars |34 and |35 along the connecting rod |32 (Figure 3) The stocking is then inspected while rotating the form on its longitudinal axis.

It might be stated that the connecting rod |32 must also rotate in the block |33 and relative to the shaft 23 and the projection 2| of the housing I5 when the form 26 is rotated during the inspection of the stocking mounted thereon.

If, upon inspecting the stocking, it is found necessary to repair the same in one way or another, the operator then moves the treadle bar |56 in a clockwise direction in Figure 1 which will cause the connecting rod |52 to move upwardly and will thus move the shaft |42 in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 3, which will, in turn, cause the shaft |32 to move from right to left in Figure 3. As the shaft |32 moves from right to left in Figure 3, the moveable bar 12 will also move from right to left and, in so doing, will cause the transverse portions |63 to |06, inclusive, of the links 93 to 96, inclusive, to move inwardly with respect to each other thus moving the pins |61 inwardly and causing the semi-circular members ||6 to ||6c to move inwardly from the position shown in Figure 6 to substantially the position shown in Figure 9.

The stocking will still remain taut due to the ribs 46 and 41 engaging the same, however, the portions of the stocking disposed between the ribs 46 and 41 will be free of the quarter-circular members |l6 to ||6c and thus a needle or the like may be passed in and out through the stocking for repairing the same.

After the stocking has been inspected, and repaired if necessary, it is removed from the form preferably while the members ||6, ||6a, ||0b and I|6c are flush with the ribs 46 and 41 or in the position shown in all of the drawings except Figure 9, which will present a smooth surface for the stockings to allow easy removal of the same.

It is thus seen that we have provided a hosiery inspection and mending form which may be mounted on a horizontal axis and having a frame comprising a plurality of spaced ribs between which retractable members are mounted, the retractable members conforming to the outer surfaces of the ribs so that a stocking may be placed on the form and inspected and we have further provided means whereby the retractable members between the ribs may be retracted by manually operable means disposed remotely from the hosiery inspection form so an operator may repair the stocking without the necessity of removing the stocking from the form.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim: 1

l. A hosiery inspection and repair form coming a substantially elliptically-shaped tubular portion, longitudinally extending spars connected to diametrically opposed sides of the ellipticallyshaped tubular portion at one edge thereof, a conical portion substantially elliptical in cross section connected to the other end of the longitudinally extending spars, a plurality ofspaced ribs semi-elliptical in shape and being disposed transversely of the axis of the form and mounted between the tubular portion and the conical portion, a plurality of quarter-cincular movable members conforming to the outer peripheral edges of the ribs and also conforming to the outer peripheral surfaces of the tubular portion and the conical portion and being mounted inside of and extending between the said ribs and being radially movable relative to said ribs, whereby a stocking may be placed over the ribs and quarter-circular members for inspection purposes.

2. In a structure according to claim 1, means disposed within the ribs and connected to the quarter-circular members and having operating means exteriorly of the form connected thereto for retracting the quarter-circular members so their outer edges are disposed inwardly of the outer edges of the ribs for repairing the stocking while mounted on the frame.

3. A hosiery inspection and mending form comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on a table and the like, means for securing the housing to one of the legs of said table, a stub shaft extending horizontally from said housing, a disk rotatably mounted on said stub shaft on a horizontal axis, a pair of substantially semi-elliptical Wall members, means securing said semi-elliptical Wall members to the disk, longitudinally extending spars integral with the ends of said semi-elliptical wall members remote from the disk and being positioned diametrically opposite from each other, semi-conical members molded integral with said spars and being connected to the free ends thereof and forming a conical member, said conical member being substantially elliptical in cross section at its largest end and being split along its large diameter, and said end of the conical member being of substantially smaller dimensions than the elliptically shaped Wall members, a plurality of spaced substantially semi-elliptical ribs extending transversely of the axis of said form and being molded integral with said spars and also decreasing in size from said semi-elliptical walls to the conical member, a plurality of quarter-circular members of transparent plastic material mounted inside of and extending between said ribs and being radially movable relative to said ribs, the outer surfaces of the quarter-circular members normally conforming to the outer surfaces of the semi-elliptical walls and the semi-elliptical ribs throughout the length of the form, whereby a stocking may be placed on the form and said form may be manually rotated on its longitudinal axis for inspection purposes.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, means disposed within the ribs and connected to the quarter-circular members and having operating means exteriorly of the form connected thereto for retracting said quarter-circular wall members relative to the semi-elliptical wall members and the semi-elliptical ribs to move them out of contact with the stocking for repairing said stocking while on the form.

5. In a structure according to claim 4, said means for retracting the quarter-circular walls comprising a longitudinally movable block and means for slidably supporting said longitudinally movable block within the connes of the semielliptical rib members, a plurality of links pivotally connected to opposed sides of said longitudmally movable block and means pivotally connecting the outer ends of said links to the quarter-circular wall members, a longitudinally extending shaft fixedly connected at one end to the longitudinally movable block, the free end extending through said disk, and manually operable means connecting to the free end of said shaft for transmitting longitudinal movement to the shaft and thus to the longitudinally movable block fixedly connected thereto, whereby upon said block being moved in one direction, the outer ends of the links will be caused to move inwardly toward each other, thus causing the quartercircular wall members, being pivotally connected to the outer ends of said links, to move inwardly with respect to each other. 6. A hosiery inspection and repair form having upper and lower longitudinally extending frames, each of the frames comprising a substantially semi-elliptically-shaped and slightly tapering end wall portion and a semi-elliptical tapermg conical end Wall portion spaced apart from the semi-elliptical wall portion, said upper and lower frames each having a plurality of co- 1nc1d1ng semi-elliptical transverse ribs spaced apart from each other and gradually decreasing 1n size from adjacent the semi-elliptical wall p ortlons to the semi-elliptical conical wall portions and the upper and lower frames each having longitudinally extending spars connected at opposed ends thereof to the diametrically opposed end portions of the semi-elliptical walls and the semi-elliptical conical walls, longitudinally extendmg quarter-circular wall members having spaced radially extending notches in their outer perlphery, the quarter-circular wall members being mounted within the transverse ribs for substantially radial sliding movement relative to the ribs to where the outer peripheries of their Wall portions normally occupy the same longitudinal plane as the outer peripheral edges of the-rib members and the conical wall members and the semi-elliptical wall members and the walls of the notches in the quarter-circular members being adapted to slidably engage the side edges of the rib members, the said quarterclrcular members being adapted to slidably engage the remote surfaces of the longitudinally extending spars whereby a stocking may be placed on the form for inspection purposes.

l7. In a structure according to claim 6, means disposed within the ribs and connected to the Quarter-circular members and having operating means exteriorly of the form connected thereto for retracting the quarter-circular members relative to the elliptical walls and the ribs to thus move their outer surfaces out of the longitudinal plane of the ribs and the semi-elliptical walls for repairing the stocking mounted thereon.

FLOYD R. SHOAF. JACOB R. LIVENGOOD, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

